Russian forces unveil Citadel anti-drone system

Russia says new anti-drone turret fires programmable rounds that calculate 'optimal detonation point'

Russia's state-owned Rostec unveiled the ZAK-30 Citadel, a stationary anti-drone turret firing programmable 30mm airburst rounds that calculate the optimal detonation point based on target trajectory. The system mirrors Western solutions already fielded by Rheinmetall (AHEAD rounds) and Northrop Grumman (Mk310), signaling that smart airburst ammo is becoming the baseline standard for counter-drone defense rather than a differentiator.